


Can You Keep A Secret?

by colisahotnorthernmess



Category: The Stranger (Netflix Series)
Genre: Angst, Blow Jobs, Complicated Relationships, First Kiss, First Time, Friends With Benefits, Lies, M/M, Secrets, Stress Relief, Touching
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-29
Updated: 2020-02-29
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:13:38
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22941556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/colisahotnorthernmess/pseuds/colisahotnorthernmess
Summary: "You kissed me, Tripp," his head was reeling from the intimate act - what did it all mean?"We all have our secrets, Adam," he griped, "I can't always hide what I am."And there was the rub. Secrets. That's what all of this was about. It was practically the very last thing Corinne had said to him that afternoon in the garden - that we all had our secrets. Even Price, himself, had his secrets - and this was about to become another one of them, he realised, as Tripp moved in his direction. He might have known Corinne's secret - or at least he'd thought that he had, until she'd said there was more to it - but he didn't know Tripp's.Heavy spoliers for the finale and many episodes leading up to it. Doug tries to comfort Adam in a way only a good mate would.
Relationships: Adam Price/Doug Tripp
Comments: 5
Kudos: 6





	Can You Keep A Secret?

This had been no conversation for the doorstep, and the pair of them had decided to step inside for a drink and a chat. Adam was upset and it was more than understandable. Tripp knew why Adam was upset - his wife, Corinne, had been missing for days now; Tripp also knew _why_ she was missing, and he tried his best to put that out of his mind, to put a show on for Adam, pressing the glass neck of the beer bottle against pursed lips.

"It's so unlike her to take off like this," Price shook his head in despair. He'd opened a lager for himself, but he felt too sick to drink it. He walked into the kitchen and placed it down onto the worktop with sad sounding 'thud', propping himself up with his elbow, his forehead placed in his palm - sighing heavily from the weight of everything that was hanging on his shoulders. He could barely bear to look at the world. "And what about the stolen money? It just doesn't add up. We _have_ money," he exhaled, wearily.

Doug distracted himself from seeing his friend and neighbour in such grief, the guilt of what he had done being overwhelming. His eyes scanned the living space: it was a stunning house, beautifully and expensively furnished - the Prices had always shown the most impeccable taste, and the bank balance to fund it too - what with Adam being a partner in a law firm and all. It was so hard to keep up - so hard to always have the best - he'd _needed_ that money from the football fund merely to afford the things he'd wanted, the things he'd deserved - to keep Becca happy and off his back. Maybe Adam would understand that if he just explained. He'd simply wanted things and spent beyond his means. Looking at the broken man before him, who was slumped on the counter, pulling at the frayed label on his drinks bottle, Tripp knew that there was one thing he'd wanted but _never_ been able to afford - until now, perhaps.

"Look - we both know Corinne isn't capable of something like that. It must be some kind of mistake," Tripp reasoned.

"Do you _really_ think that though? Everybody else seems convinced that it's her." He began to walk back towards the lounge. "I'm just fed up and tired of all of these lies," he seethed, angrily, raising his tone. "I'm sorry," he then apologised for shouting unnecessarily. He didn't want to piss off Tripp as well - it seemed he had few enough allies at this time without losing another one.

"Adam... You'll see - everything's gonna be alright. You've read it yourself - Corinne's text - she just needs space. You know what women are like," he soothed, attempting to put his friend's fears to bed. And, if only he could have stopped there - not wanting to put something _else_ to bed - but he just couldn't resist. How long had he wanted this? He made his move; rambling on, spouting calming words, he slowly slid his fingers along the solicitor's face and jawline, embracing the feel of his beard and bristles - so manly and unlike his wife's; so _strong_ and chiselled. He leaned forward and captured Adam's lips in a remarkably certain kiss. It seemed like minutes until one of them pulled away.

"Tripp?" Adam cried, louder than he should have when the other man was still so close to him that he could feel his breath, hot against his cheek - panting. "What's going on, mate?"

"What's going on?" Tripp repeated. "I'll tell you," he said, helplessly, "You're gorgeous and I couldn't stop myself."

"My... _wife_... is missing," an exclamation through gritted teeth.

"And I was _trying..._ badly, _admittedly_ , to calm you down and help you to forget about it. She'll turn up, mate - she'll be on your sodding doorstep tomorrow, begging for your forgiveness!"

"You _kissed_ me, Tripp," his head was reeling from the intimate act - what did it all mean?

"We all have our secrets, Adam," he griped, "I can't always hide what I am."

And there was the rub. _Secrets_. That's what all of this was about. It was practically the very last thing Corinne had said to him that afternoon in the garden - their last real conversation together, when he'd confronted her about her faked pregnancy - that we all had our secrets. Even Price, himself, had his secrets - and this was about to become another one of them, he realised, as Tripp moved in his direction. He might have known Corinne's secret - or at least he'd thought that he had, until she'd said there was more to it - but he didn't know Tripp's: Doug had been stealing from the football club money, had accused Corinne to throw everyone off the scent, and had subsequently murdered her to cover his tracks when she'd threatened to expose him.

However, secrets would always come out, _eventually_. Just as Corinne had somehow known of his affair with Sally Prentice, despite his best efforts to keep it from her. Adam may not have known that his wife currently lay buried in the woods, at the hands of the man who was about to kiss him again; all he knew right now was that Tripp was the only person here for him, and that his lips were inexplicably soft and his arms so painfully inviting.

"The kids are upstairs," Price murmured, aware that the P.E. teacher was so physically close that he would hear him - not wanting to speak any louder and alert anyone to what they were doing.

"They won't hear a thing," Tripp assured him. "They'll be too engrossed in their bloody iPads, or whatever it is kids do nowadays. They have it handed to them on a plate these days - _everything_ online. Not like in our day - eh, Adam?" he ran a hungry trail of kisses over his neck, grabbing him roughly, in an instant, "Where we had to work things out by _ourselves_ \- snogging behind the bike sheds - _life_ experience is so much better than texting, e-mailing - don't you think?" He felt the tense Adam loosen a little in his grasp. "God, you're delicious," he moaned, running a tongue over the outer edge of his ear.

"Doug..." came a shy mumble. He hardly ever called him that.

"Adam," he growled in response. And he felt the man slightly tremble. He forced him downwards by his shoulders, firmly - yes - but not aggressively; contrary to what might be deduced from his actions towards Price's wife, Tripp was not a violent man - he wanted to savour this moment with Adam, and he wanted it to be tender, loving and perfect. In some twisted way, this had sat at the back of his mind as he bludgeoned Corinne - that, without her, he could have everything he'd ever wanted - live the 'dream' as he put it: the stolen money would cover the cost of his lifestyle, he would keep his reputation and his job, and just maybe he could have _him_ also. Doug eased the legal representative into the yellow armchair, which was just as well, because Adam was sure his legs were about to give way, and closed the shutters.

Tripp stood before Adam and, to his surprise, a hand reached out and ran over his tracksuit bottoms, grasping an erection which was obvious in the thin, shiny material. The fingers squeezed; it was all the go-ahead he needed. "Let's sort you out - like a good massage this is, but better," he grinned, rolling his hands over jean-clad thighs, "It's just sort-of... the happy ending, really." He sank to his knees and still continued to caress the material, 'warming' Adam up for the main event - he was, after all, a sports tutor, and a warm-up was necessary for any undertaking - or a bit of foreplay in this instance, though Adam was already bulging out of his trousers, and it didn't take Tripp long to undo the zip. Soon, the thick erection was filling Doug's mouth.

"Oh God, Tripp..." he groaned, trying to control the volume in his voice - but he wanted to show both his approval and appreciation of the situation, "This is just what I needed. You really _are_ a good mate." And he felt Doug swallow around the head of his arousal, not truly knowing why his neighbour was gulping - the _words_ were rather difficult to swallow - but, eager to satisfy Adam, his cock was most definitely easier to get his mouth around. "Tripp?" he asked him, not wanting to interrupt as the teacher's tongue was halfway up his shaft, lapping up a string of pre-come which had managed to ooze a considerable length - Price had even surprised himself with how excited he had become; thrill-wise, Sally hadn't even come close to this. He went on, "What _were_ you and Corinne talking about on the phone that morning?"

"Let's not worry about that now," he hushed, ensuring that he would hear no more about it by taking the full length of Adam's prick into his mouth, the head touching the back of his throat - and he heard Adam stifle a shriek of sheer pleasure. He'd never need know - and, with Corinne out of the way - just as he'd thought, he could have it all - and he could have _his_ Adam. He could read Price's mind; his eyes were closed, he was threading his fingers through where Tripp's hair was slightly longish at the back - he was thinking of _her_. Well, in time, maybe he could love him even more than he'd ever loved her. Having said that, it was a _hell_ of a secret to keep for that long.


End file.
